Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-02-26
State AFFAIRS.
The Substitute Commission Bill Still
the Pending Business in the
Senate for o-Day.
The Question of Adjournment Discussed
I'D the HOuse-Judge Willis TO be
Heard Monday Next.
The Senate Passes House joint Resolution
to Submit a Prohibition Amendment
to the People
THE QUESTION OF ADJOURNMENT.


to adjourn March Il was taken up this
morning in the House, and after being
discussed pro and con by several mem
bers from personal standpoint was re-
ferred TO the committee on the state of
affairs.
PROHIBITION AMENDMENT RESOLUTION.
Senator Houston spoke in favor of sub
hitting the amendment to q vote of the
people, from standpoint touching its
political tendencies and held that unless
the Democratic party were willing to sub
nit the amendment they would build a
party that would rise up and oYershadow
and oVerpower the influence and prestige
of the Democratic party.
Senator Simkins believed in submit
ting to the voice OF the Peep, in matters
touching their personal rights and not
forcing arbitrary legislation that would
bring about spirit of resentment and
law breaking.
SUBSTITUTE COMMISSION BILL.
The substitute commission being the
pending business in the Senate this morn
| ing, Senator Upshsw took the floor and
read from the platform OF the Democratic
party where the party in Texas had
| pledged themselves to pass laws regula-
ting the railway rates and discrimina-
tions. He challenged any man to show
where the commission had failed IN any
state where the legislatures gave them
power to act without restrc,
lions that crippled their eIiicieacy.
Relative to the charge that the bill he
hadsPrepared and introduced was lit
eral copy of the laws of Georgia, he adj
mit'eG it to be a fact aud desired to
fknc why it should be Objectionable for
that reason. 1t had proved successful in
Georgia, and he did not think that any
member on the door could improve upon
| it, 30 matter from what source it sprang
| The only question worthy Of COnsideTa-
ton was that it contained provisions that
would be adequate to the evils growing
out of the pooling of rates and the niusl
! discrimination against the interests OF
the people. Speaking Of the constitu-
! tlOnality Of the law, he said that legisla-
! ton was had in other states testing the
COnstitutionllity and it had been sus-
| tanned, Feading extracts from the case
CT Mum & Co. against the state OF Illinois
to prove the position held by the Supreme
court OF that state. Comparing the COR
stituuons of Texas and Georges, he held
| that while there was some difference i'll
the phraseology, there was no difference
in their grant OF power to their respective
! Legislatures, reading from 2 decision of
Chief Justice Waite of the United States
Supreme court in 3 case from Georgia
where it was held that the objection to
the Constitutionality of the law, claimed
by Robson of the Legislature, delegsting
power to the commissioners granted I'M
der the constitution only to the LegisiR-
ture. 1t was not unconstitutional, but
was in the scope of their power.
Further discussion of the question
was postponed until the morning
hour tomorrow, by request Of
Senator Burgess, in Difference to the
temporary ply steal inability Of Senator
Upshaw to continu, his argument.
AN IMPORTANT ELL.
The bill introduced by Senator Jarvis
to authorize railroad companies in the
state to lease or purchase other railroads
connecting st the state lines, provided the
roads leased or purchased are not com
peting lines, has been reported favOrably
in the Senate by the internal improve
ment committee to which it was referred,
and it is probable that it will become a
Law this session.
BOTTLED ELOQUENCE.
Ii the drift of remarks heard here and
there from members and senators can be
taken to foreshow legislation there is a
strong probability that the railroad COM
mission bill Will pass if the session
is prolonged to the time when
the members have delivered themselves
of all the bottled up eloquence stored for
this special piece Of legislation. This
bill received another airing in the House
this morning rom Mr.. Hope and Mr.
Kirlicks, who opposed it on the grounds
that it conferred arbitrary powers.
LACK OF A QUORUM.
While the House WAS wrestling with an
amendment 10 the commission bill rela-
tive to the salaries of the commissioners,
q member offered substitute to the
pending amendment, and then spoke
against his Own substitute. Another
member got the floor and read an aLego-
ry about the fox and the geese during
which time the members Offering the
amendments went out, presumably 10 get
some fresh air. In the meantime the pre-
vious question was ordered on the sm5 nd
ments and the bill. motion for q call
IF the House resulted in two less than q
quorum. The Speaker then ordered the
Sergeant-at-Arms to hunt up the alb
sentees, who were created with applause
as they entered the door.
WILL BE SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLE.
The House Joint resolution TO submit q
prohibition amendment to the people
passed the Senate to-day by a vote OF twen-
ty-two for and eight against. Those vot-
ing yea were: Senators Allen,
Armistead. Abercrombie, Bell, Cal
houn, Camp, Davis, Douglass of
Jefferson, Douglass of Grayson, Fields,
Frank, Garrison, Gregg, Harrison, Hous-
ten, Jarvis, Mcdonald, Macmanus, Sim
kins, Stinson, Terrell and Upshaw
Those voting nay were: Senators Bur-
CESS, Burney, Claiborne, Glasscock, Knit
tie, Lane, Pope and Woods. Senator
Woodward being absent,
The bill provides that the election
shall be held on the first Tuesday in Au-
gust, 1887.
AN INTERESTING DEBATE.
An interesting debate took place IN the